I'm trying to make a circuit (with no programmable circuits, only logic gates, flip flops and latches) that outputs a short impulsion each time it's input toggles from 0 to 1. Do you have any idea of how to do so?
Electronic – From a toggle to an impulsion
digital-logic
Related Solutions
I would probably use two bits to encode the three switches, and the general approach would be to have a string of pairs (one for each bit) of D or JK flip-flops to accept the sequence of input digits, essentially a shift register for pairs of bits. Then there would have to be de-bounce circuitry for the switches, and some way to generate a clock signal from the key presses (probably on release) to shift the digits through the register. Finally, XOR gates between the stages of the shift register and the digits of the key (hardwired to 1231 or use switches, etc) would produce signals to indicate when each digit is a correct match (logic Low on match), and then a multi-input NOR of the XOR outputs would give a final output signal that would indicate when the entire sequence in the shift register matches the key.
One reason we clock flip flops so that there isn't any chaos when the outputs of flip flops are fed through some logic functions and back to their own inputs.
If a flip-flop's output is used to calculate its input, it behooves us to have orderly behavior: to prevent the flip-flop's state from changing until the output (and hence the input) is stable.
This clocking allows us to build computers, which are state machines: they have a current state, and calculate their next state based on the current state and some inputs.
For example, suppose we want to build a machine which "computes" an incrementing 4 bit count from 0000 to 1111, and then wraps around to 0000 and keeps going. We can do this by using a 4 bit register (which is a bank of four D flip-flops). The output of the register is put through a combinatorial logic function which adds 1 (a four bit adder) to produce the incremented value. This value is then simply fed back to the register. Now, whenever the clock edge arrives, the register will accept the new value which is one plus its previous value. We have an orderly, predictable behavior which steps through the binary numbers without any glitch.
Clocking behaviors are useful in other situations too. Sometimes a circuit has many inputs, which do not stabilize at the same time. If the output is instantaneously produced from the inputs, then it will be chaotic until the inputs stabilize. If we do not want the other circuits which depend on the output to see the chaos, we make the circuit clocked. We allow a generous amount of time for the inputs to settle and then we indicate to the circuit to accept the values.
Clocking is also inherently part of the semantics of some kinds of flip flops. A D flip flop cannot be defined without a clock input. Without a clock input, it will either ignore its D input (useless!), or simply copy the input at all times (not a flip-flop!) An RS flip-flop doesn't have a clock, but it uses two inputs to control the state which allows the inputs to be "self clocking": i.e. to be the inputs, as well as the triggers for the state change. All flip flops need some combination of inputs which programs their state, and some combination of inputs lets them maintain their state. If all combinations of inputs trigger programming, or if all combinations of inputs are ignored (state is maintained), that is not useful. Now what is a clock? A clock is a special, dedicated input which distinguishes whether the other inputs are ignored, or whether they program the device. It is useful to have this as a separate input, rather than for it to be encoded among multiple inputs.
Best Answer
Please try to use normal english. I'm guessing "impulsion" is supposed to mean a single pulse?
If so, what you want is officially called a "monostable multivibrator" or more commonly a "one-shot". There are chips that do this directly, using a resistor and capacitor as the timing components to control the length of the resulting pulse. Check out the 74x121 and 74x122, for example.